Knitting needle for transferring stitches

ABSTRACT

Generally speaking, the present invention contemplates a knitting needle for transferring stitches. The knitting needle has a needle shank provided with a needle hook at one end and having a groove therein, a slider slidably fitted in said groove, said shank and slider being defined by steel sheets bent in Ushaped cross section. The needle shank has an enlarged groove at one portion with a sidewall extending outward, the slider being correspondingly formed with an enlarged groove to fit the enlarged groove of the needle shank. A loop expanding wing Vshaped in cross section extends sideways from the sidewall of said enlarged groove around the front portion of an adjacent knitting needle.

Uni [I [72] Inventor Teihichi Hayashi Aichi, Japan [21] Appl. No. 883,479 [22] Filed Dec. 9,1969 [45] Patented June 15, 1971 [73] Assignee Teihichi Kayashi and Uraaki Statake Aichi, Japan [32] Priority Mar. 6, 1969 [33] Japan [31 44/ 17807 [54] KNITTING NEEDLE FOR TRANSFERRING STITCHES 5 Claims, 11 Drawing Figs.

[52] [1.8. CI 66/120, 66/123 [5! Int. Cl D046 35/06 [50] Field of Search 66/120, 123, 13, 24, 35, 38

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 51,577 12/1865 Fifield 66/120 Primary Examiner-William Carter Reynolds Att0rneyGeorge B. Oujevolk ABSTRACT: Generally speaking, the present invention contemplates a knitting needle for transferring stitches. The knitting needle has a needle shank provided with a needle hook at one end and having a groove therein, a slider slidably fitted in said groove, said shank and slider being defined by steel sheets bent in U-shaped cross section, The needle shank has an enlarged groove at one portion with a sidewall extending outward, the slider being correspondingly formed with an enlarged groove to fit the enlarged groove of the needle shank. A loop expanding wing V-shaped in cross section extends sideways from the sidewall of said enlarged groove around the front portion of an adjacent knitting needle.

PATENTEU JUN 1 5197:

3.584.481 SHEET 3 BF 3 KNITTING NEEDLE FOR TRANSFERRING STITCHES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a knitting needle for transferring stitches which is capable of automatically transferring a fabric loop carried by the needle to an adjacent. knitting nee die and which is used for producing perforated lace fabric as well as various fancy knit fabrics and for varying the width of fabrics on a weft knitting machine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Heretofore, conventional knitting needles were provided with spring pieces or wings attached to the needle shanks for enlarging loops. These needles, however, had the disadvantages that they were difficult and expensive to make and in practical use they did not operate accurately and resulted in the dropping of stitches or damage to the adjacent needles which received the loops.

The present invention contemplates providing knitting needles which are economical as well as free from the above-mentioned drawbacks and reliable in operation.

Generally speaking, the present invention contemplates a knitting needle for transferring stitches. The knitting needle has a needle shank provided with a needle hook at one end and having a groove therein, a slider slidably fitted in said groove, said shank and slider being defined by steel sheets bent in U-shaped cross section. The needle shank has an enlarged groove at one portion with a sidewall extending outward, the slider being correspondingly formed with an enlarged groove to fit the enlarged groove of the needle shank. A loop expanding wing V-shaped in cross section extends sideways from the sidewall of said enlarged groove around the front portion of an adjacent knitting needle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention as well as the objects and advantages thereof will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a slider for opening or closing a needle hook in closed position:

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the needle shank as it is developed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the same in bent form;

Flg. 4 is a development in plan showing the slider for opening or closing a needle hook;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the same in bent form;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are respectively a front view and a side elevation showing the slider as it keeps the hook closed;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are views in section taken respectively along the line VIII-VIII and along the line IX-IX in FIG. 7; and

FIGS. 10 and 11 are respectively a front view and a side elevation illustrating the slider during stitch transfer operation as it leaves the hook open.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A knitting needle 1 for transferring stitches comprises a needle shank 2 provided with a needle hook 4 at its end and a slider 3 slidably fitted in a shank groove 5 for opening or closing the needle hook. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, both of the needle shank 2 and slider 3, U-shaped in cross section, are formed by bending stamped-out steel sheets 2a, 3a of the predetermined shape along folds 2b, 3b indicated in chain lines in the drawings.

The needle shank 2 is formed with protuberant loop guide 6 a little below the tip of the needle hook 4. The lower end of one of the guides reaches the bottom wall 7 of the groove 5, from which the wall extends downward with an increasing width. That is, a slanting side edge 8 extends sideways from the protuberant portion 6 and a sidewall 9 projects outward to provide an enlarged groove 10. The portion beneath the enlarged groove 10 is again formed as a groove having the same width as the groove 5. In order to provide such a bent structure, a cut 11 is formed between the sidewall 9 of the enlarged groove 10 and the sidewall thereunder as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The slider 3 is provided with a forwardly projecting hook receiving groove 12 at its upper end and an enlarged groove 13 at its lower portion to be fitted in the enlarged groove 10 of the needle shank 2. Extending from one of the sidewalls of the enlarged groove 13 is a loop expanding wing 14 which is approximately V-shaped in cross section so as to extend around the front and sides of the adjacent needle la as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 1. The upper edge 15 of the wing inclines downward and is provided with a loop catch 16 at its lower end, which is adapted to enter the enlarged groove 13 of the slider 3 on the adjacent needle la. The slider 3 is prevented from disengagement from the needle: shank 4 by a bent portion 17 disposed at the front of the sidewall of the shank 2 and embracing the front of one of the sidewalls of the slider 3. A butt 18 which also serves as a stopper is formed at the lower end of the sidewall embraced by the above-mentioned bent portion 17. In its movement relative to the needle shank 2, the slider 3 is prevented from further forward travel by the butt 18 which strikes against the lower end of the bent portion 17, while the lower end of the enlarged groove 13, when brought into contact with a jutting portion 19 on the shank 2, limits it backward movement.

The knitting needles 1 described above are mounted on a cylinder or a dial of a knitting machine and operate in the following manner to produce a knit fabric.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the needle hook inserted into the hook receiving groove 12 of the slider which is supported at the end of the needle bed by the previously formed loop 21 as the shank 2 is being moved backward into the needle bed with a knitting yarn 20 on the hook 4. From this position, the needle shank 2 continues retreating until the top of the needle hook reaches the end of the needle bed, that is, until it reaches the position below the previously formed loop 21, when its forms a new loop with the knitting yarn 20'. At the same time, the previously formed loop 21 is passed over the loop engaging jaw 22 of the slider and the tip of the needle hook 4; loop 21 will then cast off the hook head and hang around the root of the new loop which has been drawn into the needle hook 4.

Subsequently the needle shank 2 moves forward. The slider 3, however, does not proceed since the slanting edge at its upper end is held by the loop 23 which has already been formed with the knitting yarn 20. As a result, the needle hook 4 is opened. The slider 3 begins to move forward together with the needle shank 2 when its lower end is brought into contact with the jutting portion 19 of the shank 2. The loop 23 slides down the slanting side in the front of the hook receiving groove 12 and reaches the position below the loop engaging jaw 22, when the slider 3 and the needle shank 2 come to a halt. A new knitting yarn 24 is now placed on the needle hook 4 (see FIGS. 10 and 11).

The needle shank 2 is thereafter engaged in the backward movement. In the latter half of the backward travel of the needle shank 2, the slider 3 joins the shank 2 to retreat therewith and forms a new loop with a knitting yarn 24 as explained previously with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

The needle shank 2 and the slider 3i, repeatedly performing the movements described above, produce a knit fabric.

Furthermore, during knitting operation, the knitting needle 1 acts to transfer the loop thereon to the adjacent needle 1a, or while performing knitting operation on a circular rib knitting machine, the lower needle 1 transfers a loop thereon to the upper needle.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the needle 1 holding a loop 23 to be transferred to the adjacent needle 1a is, first pushed forward together with the needle shank 2 by a device for selectively pushing up needles such as a cam or a pattern wheel until the loop expanding wing 14 of the slider 3 is thrust into the loop 23. In this step, the loop 23 is gradually expanded sideways while sliding along the slanting edge I5 and i formed into the shape shown in a chain line 25 in FIGS. 8 and 9. The

enlarged loop 25 is caught on the loop catch 16 of the slider 3, by which it is hung slightly above the upper end of the needle bed.

The adjacent needle la to which the enlarged loop is to be transferred then moves forward through the enlarged loop 25 as seen in FIGS. 8 and 10. On the other hand, as the needle 1a moves forward, the loop transferring needle 1 moves backward in return. In this retreating movement, the loop 25 is caught on the loop engaging jaw 22, which prevents the slider 3 from moving backward, with the result that the needle hook 4 is closed by the slider 3. The enlarged loop 25, consequently released from the top of the needle hook 4, is now caught only on the adjacent needle la. The loop 25 leaves the needle head of the adjacent needle 1a in the step of producing a new loop in the next course and is connected to the wale formed by the adjacent needle la.

To transfer the enlarged loop 25 from the lower needle to the upper needle, the needle hook of the upper needle is driven forward to the position under a portion 25a of the loop behind the loop expanding wing 14. The knitting needle 1 is then retracted to remove the loop 25 from the head of the needle hook 14 and transfers it to the upper needle.

In order to insure accurate movement of the slider 3 relative to the needle shank 2, a cam may be used for guiding the butt 18 on the slider.

As described above, the knitting needle of the present invention carries a slider for opening or closing the needle hook which is adapted to slide in the groove of the needle shank. Therefore the slider moves smoothly and is prevented from rolling relative to the needle shank, accurate and safe operation thus being ensured.

In addition, the knitting needle of the present invention is capable of transferring the loop it carries to another needle solely by itself. That is to say, while performing ordinary knitting operation, the knitting needle also serves as a transfer needle, thus making it possible to manufacture various fancy knit fabrics such as perforated knit goods as well as to effect gradual reduction in the number of wales (gradual reduction of the width of knit fabric). Even in this case the needle can transfer the loop by itself, requiring no other members in carrying out the transfer operation. A complex structure can be dispensed with.

Lastly, the product of the present invention can be manufactured only by a simple press work since both of the needle shank and the slider constituting the knitting needle are formed by bending stamped-out steel sheets. The present invention is therefore advantageous in that it is suitable for mass production and that the products can be obtained by far more economically than conventional products.

Whatl claim is:

1. A knitting needle for transferring stitches comprising: a needle shank (2) provided with a needle book (4) at one end and having a groove therein; a slider (3) slidably fitted in said groove, said shank (2) and slider (3) being defined by steel sheets bent in U-shaped cross section, said needle shank including a first enlarged groove (10) at one portion with a sidewall (9) extending outward, said slider being correspondingly formed with a second enlarged groove (13) fitted in said needle shank enlarged groove, a loop expanding wing (14) V-shaped in cross section extending sideways from said sidewall of said second enlarged groove around the front portion of an adjacent knitting needle.

2. A knitting needle assembly, comprising in combination: an elongated outer, thin, hollow shank (2) with an inner sliding member (3) nested therein, said shank terminating in a hook needle (4) and having wall guide protrusions (6) for downwardly guiding a loop formed by said hook needle, said inner member (3) having an upper shield (12) disposed to slide over the end of said hook needle and a loop expanding wing 14) on the lower end thereof.

3. A knitting needle assembly as claimed in claim 2 including inner and outer stops (18, 19) for limiting the travel of said slidin member.

4. knitting needle assembly, comprising in combination; an outer elongated hollow needle shank (2), said shank (2) having a U-shaped cross section with upper and lower sidewalls, said walls forming an inner recess defining a travelpath, said upper sidewalls terminating in a hook needle (4), said upper sidewalls also forming outer loop guide protrusions (6) in the vicinity of said hook needle (4) so that a thread engaged by said hook can be guided over said protrusions in the form of a large loop, one of said lower sidewalls forming an outer stop (19) for stopping movement along the travelpath, an outer flange intermediate said upper and lower walls to further guide said loop, a sliding inner member (3) fitted in said shank (2) for longitudinal sliding movement along said travelpath with a U-shaped cross section and a pair of inner walls, a shield (12) formed by said walls on said sliding member and extending out from said housing to slide over and cover said hook end, an inner stop (18) on one inner wall disposed to engage one of said lower sidewalls (17) limiting the upper movement of said sliding member, and, an outward loop expanding wing (M) on the other inner wall having a loop deposit step (16) on the outer end thereof, the lower end of said wing (l4) being dispomd to engage said outer stop (19).

5 A knitting needle comprising in combination;

a. a needle shank (2) with a needle hook (4) at one end and having a groove therein;

b. a slider (3) slidably fitted in said groove;

c. an enlarged groove (10) at one portion of said shank;

d. a corresponding enlarged groove (13) extending outward from one of said enlarged grooves to around the front portion of an adjacent knitting needle. 

1. A knitting needle for transferring stitches comprising: a needle shank (2) provided with a needle hook (4) at one end and having a groove therein; a slider (3) slidably fitted in said groove, said shank (2) and slider (3) being defined by steel sheets bent in U-shaped cross section, said needle shank including a first enlarged groove (10) at one portion with a sidewall (9) extending outward, said slider being correspondingly formed with a second enlarged groove (13) fitted in said needle shank enlarged groove, a loop expanding wing (14) V-shaped in cross section extending sideways from said sidewall of said second enlarged groove around the front portion of an adjacent knitting needle.
 2. A knitting needle assembly, comprising in combination: an elongated outer, thin, hollow shank (2) with an inner sliding member (3) nested therein, said shank terminating in a hook needle (4) and having wall guide protrusions (6) for downwardly guiding a loop formed by said hook needle, said inner member (3) having an upper shield (12) disposed to slide over the end of said hook needle and a loop expanding wing (14) on the lower end thereof.
 3. A knitting needle assembly as claimed in claim 2 including inner and outer stops (18, 19) for limiting the travel of said sliding member.
 4. A knitting needle assembly, comprising in combination; an outer elongated hollow needle shank (2), said shank (2) having a U-shaped cross section with upper and lower sidewalls, said walls forming an inner recess defining a travelpath, said upper sidewalls terminating in a hook needle (4), said upper sidewalls also forming outer loop guide protrusions (6) in the vicinity of said hook needle (4) so that a thread engaged by said hook can be guided over said protrusions in the form of a large loop, one of said lower sidewalls forming an outer stop (19) for stopping movement along the travelpath, an outer flange intermediate said upper and lower walls to further guide said loop, a sliding inner member (3) fitted in said shank (2) for longitudinal sliding movement along said travelpath with a U-shaped cross section and a pair of inner walls, a shield (12) formed by said walls on said sliding member and extending out from said housing to slide over and cover said hook end, an inner stop (18) on one inner wall disposed to engage one of said lower sidewalls (17) limiting the upper movement of said sliding member, and, an outward loop expanding wing (14) on the other inner wall having a loop deposit step (16) on the outer end thereof, the lower end of said wing (14) being disposed to engage said outer stop (19).
 5. A knitting needle comprising in combination; a. a needle shank (2) with a needle hook (4) at one end and having a groove therein; b. a slider (3) slidably fitted in said groove; c. an enlarged groove (10) at one portion of said shank; d. a corresponding enlarged groove (13) extending outward from one of said enlarged grooves to around the front portion of an adjacent knitting needle. 